What’s made of 12,650 tons of concrete, is sixty feet high, doesn’t have any windows, was built by Nazis, and sank into the ground seven inches in three years? And why does it exist?
Math geeks may recognise the iconic device pictured above. Before electronic calculators became available in the 70′s, the Curta Calculator was considered to be the most efficient portable calculator available. The device boasts 605 intricate parts and it can perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and even square roots without electricity. Despite its complexity, the Curta was so well constructed that it made a pleasing purring sound when the parts moved. It also happens to be one beautiful piece of machinery in general. However, the most interesting thing about the Curta may not be the design itself, but the story behind its creation. galleryPost('curtacalculator', 3, '');
